Progressive ring-threading puzzle

ABSTRACT

A maze puzzle comprising a panel provided with a large number of like holes. The holes are arranged in such a manner that for at least a specific group of a substantial number of holes, there is a uniform center-to-center spacing from hole to hole in a predetermined progression from a starting hole to a finish hole through which a ring having a gap is threaded through any two successive holes in the progression. Optionally, a group of further holes may lead from the finish hole back to the starting hole and at least one further group of holes may be included to provide a false path.

United States Patent [1 1 Stubbmann 1 Jan. 16, 1973 [54] PROGRESSIVERING-THREADING France ..273/153 R Great Britain ..273/l 53 R [57]ABSTRACT A maze puzzle comprising a panel provided with a large numberof like holes. The holes are arranged in such a manner that for at leasta specific group of a substantial number of holes, there is a uniformcenterto-center spacing from hole to hole in a predetermined progressionfrom a starting hole to a finish hole through which a ring having a gapis threaded through any two successive holes in the progression.Optionally, a group of further holes may lead from the finish hole backto the starting hole and at least one further group of holes may beincluded to provide a false path.

3 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures PATENTEUJAH 16 I973 SHEET 1 BF 2 FIG. I

m. H /l. Fl G. 4

INVENTOR.

ALBERT STUBBMANN BY @L 441, 0 f $4 ATTORNEYS PROGRESSIVE RING-THREADINGPUZZLE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention A puzzlewhich is solved by threading a gapped ring through a predeterminedprogression of holes in a panel.

2. Description of the Prior Art So far as is known, there is no priorart. The closest toy with any structural resemblance to the presentinvention is a childs drawing toy in which a series of dots is providedon a sheet, each dot having associated therewith a different number of aseries. A child with a writing implement traces out a path from dot todot following the numbers in succession to complete a crude picture.However, aside from the concept of progression of a member from point topoint on a surface, there is no similarity whatsoever between a numberdrawing toy and the puzzle of the instant invention.

Generally speaking, puzzles of a simple order present a challenge to aperson s manual dexterity and ingenuity. There are essentially nopuzzles which are so constructed as to challenge and thereby strengthena childs or person's visual recollection of spatial orientation. Theabsence of such puzzles with such a characteristic in a simplemechanical form is a hiatus in the educational and entertainment field.The closest type of game which makes any effort to challenge andreinforce a childs or an adults spatial recollection is that ofConcentration in which the cards of a deck are randomly strewn on atable or floor face down and two (or more) players in alternation lift,reverse so as to show the faces, and then return to their originalpositions two cards, one after another, the object of the game being forthe players to remember the positions and faces of the different back upcards so that subsequently as a card is turned up the then-currentplayer can turn up and remember the other one of a pair of cards ofmatching color and number. However, Concentration requires a largenumber of loose cards, and a full deck of cards because the absence ofone will throw the game off stride. It also requires a rather largespace and more concentration and recall than an ordinary young childpossesses. Thus, the game of Concentration" has never become popular. Asa solitaire game, i.e., a puzzle, it is almost never played.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Purposes of the Invention It is an object ofthe invention to provide a puzzle which avoids the foregoing drawbacks.

It is another object of the invention to provide a puzzle of thecharacter described which will improve and strengthen a persons, both achilds and adults, power of concentration and spatial recall.

It is another object of the invention to provide a puzzle of thecharacter described which will teach, improve and strengthen a personsrecognition of orderly progression.

It is another object of the invention to provide a puzzle of thecharacter described which will improve a persons manual dexterity.

It is another object of the invention to provide a puzzle of thecharacter described which constitutes relatively few and simple parts,isrugged and durable in construction and which will furnish hours ofpleasurable enjoyment.

Other objects of the invention in part will be obvious and in part willbe pointed out hereinafter.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The puzzle includes a panel whichpreferably is flat and rigid and is provided with a large number of likeholes extending between its opposite broad surfaces. The holes, whenconsidered in a certain predetermined order, provides a consecutiveprogressive series the holes of which have a uniform center-te-centerspacing; that is, the center-to-center spacing from the first to thesecond hole in the series is a certain length, the center-to-centerspacing from the second to the third hole in the series is the samelength, the center-tocenter spacing from the third to the fourth hole inthe series is the same length, etc. The path of progression of the holesis preferably not a straight line but may zigzag, progress along acurve, cross back and forth over one another and, indeed, present anytype of random pattern that is desired.

In association with the holes a ring is provided which preferably isrigid. The ring is of a diameter such that it can be threaded throughany two adjacent holes in the progressive series. The ring has a gap thelength of which is somewhat greater than the axial length of the holes.The cross-section of the ring is such that the ring can be threadedthrough any of the holes, turning in a direction parallel to the planeof the ring and about the center of the ring. When the ring after beingthreaded through two adjacent holes in the progressive series is turnedin its own plane to a point where the gap has its ends located onopposite sides of the panel so that it is clear of one hole, the ringcan be rotated about the other hole through which the ring still passesso as to locate the ends of the gap above a fresh hole which is the nextor previous hole in the series. This turning is about a lineperpendicular to the plane of the panel, in the plane of the ring andtangential to the ring where it passes through the panel. Subsequentlyturning the ring about in its own plane will cause an end of the ring atthe gap to enter into the fresh hole and, shortly thereafter, for theends of the gap to lie on opposite sides of the panel of the precedinghole whereupon the ring can be turned ready for threading, hopefullyinto the next hole in the proper sequence. This threading from hole tohole is continued from the starting hole to the finish hole.

The puzzle challenges the ingenuity of the solver to remember thepreceding hole. This recall of the preceding hole may seem simple fromthe foregoing description, but in practice it is anything but simple.The slightest break in concentration will cause the solver to start toretrace the series, i.e., to go back toward the starting hole instead oftoward the finish hole, and the more mistakes that the player makes themore confused he becomes and the more prone he is to make furthermistakes until he settles down again to concentrate closely inremembering the order of the maze of holes that he has already threadedwith the rmg.

It is within the scope of the invention to provide an additional seriesof holes having a center-to-center spacing of the same length leading ina single path from the finish hole to the starting hole in order toavoid retracing the preceding maze through which the player hassuccessfully threaded the ring.

It also is within the scope of the invention to provide false trailswherein the ccnter-to-ccnter hole spacing is the same as that for thetrue path, but which false trails will either lead to dead ends or leadto closed paths from which the solver must once again successfully tracehis steps to lead to the true path.

In a sense, the puzzle of the present invention is somewhat like alabyrinth in that there is only one correct path which, if properlytraced, will lead from start to finish. However, unlike a labyrinth, itis much simpler with the puzzle of the instant invention for the solverto reverse his proper direction of threading the ring and soon to becomeso confused that he no longer knows which is the proper direction untilhe has made several false threadings in the wrong direction andgenerally senses that he is approaching the starting hole rather thanthe finish hole.

The ring preferably is maintained captive, i.e., trapped, in the panelso that it will not be lost. This most conveniently can be done byproviding a border around the panel having a height which is in excessof the length of the gap of the ring. Preferably, also, the ring isrigid so.that it cannot be distorted out of its circular shape andforced into an incorrect hole.

Although the holes have a certain ordered sequence through which thering is intended to be threaded, in the preferred form of the inventionthe surface of the puzzle observed by the solver has no indication ofthe sequence. Nevertheless, to prevent total frustration the reverseside of the puzzle has the holes numbered in the proper sequence orthere is some other means to indicate the true path.

The invention consists in the features of construction, combination ofelements and arragnements of parts which will be exemplified in thepuzzle hereinafter described and of which the scope of application willbe indicated in the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the accompanying drawings in whichis shown one of the various possible embodiments of the invention:

FIG. 1 is a front plan view of a broad surface of the puzzle, a portionbeing broken away to provide space for other figures and the gapped ringbeing illustrated in its finish hole;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view taken substantially along theline 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view taken substantially along theline 33 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a more highly enlarged view taken substantially along the line4-4 of FIG. 1 and illustrating a hole in greater detail; and

FIG. 5 is a plan view of the reverse side of the puzzle illustrating theidentification of holes by numbered order of sequence and showing, withprimes, holes that provide false paths.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now in detail to thedrawings, the reference numeral 40 denotes a puzzle constructed inaccordance with the invention. The puzzle includes a panel 42 which inthe preferred form of the invention is flat, i.e., plane. However, theinvention obviously embraces curved configurations for the panel. Theplan shape of the puzzle can be selected according to the desire of themanufacturer. As illustrated, it is oblong. Circular, square, stellate,oval and a multitude of other configurations could alternatively beemployed.

Preferably, the panel is of sheet-like shape, which is to say, it is ofuniform, rather thin, thickness. A typical thickness is 0.08 inch. Thepanel can be made from any material. Wood and sheet metal are mentionedby way of example, but because the panel is not completely of sheet-likeconfiguration, in the illustrated and desired form of the invention, thepanel is made by molding of a synthetic plastic, preferably athermoplastic, so that it can be injection molded. Desirably, also, thethermoplastic selected does not shatter easily, i.e., is tough. Manysynthetic thermoplastic resins are known which satisfy theserequirements, mention being made, merely by way of example, topolyamides, acrylics, cellulose acetate, cellulose acetate butyrates andcopolymers of butydiene and styrene in which major amounts of styreneare present so that the panel is not noticeably flexible.

Interest in the puzzle may be enchanced by providing a design 44 on thefront surface of the puzzle (shown in FIG. 1) and locating within thedesign all of the like holes 46 of the true path to which referencepreviously has been made, these being the holes arranged in thepredetermined order from a starting hole to a finish hole. The holes,which will later be described in detail, that lead from the finish holeto the starting hole preferably are outside the border of the design44'. The illustrated design 44 herein is, by way of example, an

ear.

As mentioned previously, the holes 46 of the true path are so positionedand mutually spaced on the panel 42 that, beginning with the startinghole 48 and terminating with the finish hole 50, adjacent holes in thetrue path have equal center-to-center spacing. Thus, considering thehole 48 as the starting hole, the next hole in the series is the hole52. The third hole in the series is the hole 54. The fourth hole in theseries is 56. The holes progress successively, being identified by thereference numerals 58, 60, 62, 64, 66, 68, 70, 72, 74, 76, 78, 80, 82,84, 86, 88, 90, 92, 94, 96, 98, 100, 102, 104, 106, 108 and 110 to thefinish hole 50. All of these holes are indicated by suitable referencenumerals in FIG. 1. However, in the preferred form of the inventionthere is no indication whatsoever on the surface of the puzzle exposedto the solver of any symbols or other means indicating the propersequence of holes, i.e., the true path.

Used with the puzzle is a ring 112. The ring has a circularcross-section which is slightly smaller than the cross-section of theholes, e.g., a few thousandths of an inch. The center-to-center spacingof the holes in an embodiment of the invention is, by way of example butnot limitation, 1.187 inches and the holes are circular and O.l60 inchin diameter. The circular cross-section of the ring is 0. I60 inch indiameter and the diameter of the center line of the ring (the linerunning around the center of the cross-section of the ring) is 1.187inches to match the center-to-center spacing of any pair of successiveholes in the predetermined order (the true path).

The gap in the ring is indicated by the reference numeral 114. In theexample being described this gap is 0.360 inch, i.e. this is thedistance between the ends of the mutilated ring defining the gap. Theungapped portion of the ring extends over a predominant portion of thefull 360 circumference of the ring. Moreover, in the example beingdescribed this gap is considerably in excess of the thickness of thepanel which, again in the example, is 0.08 inch. This difference arisesbecause each hole is extended on opposite faces of the panel 42 bycollars 116 which protrude from the opposite surfaces of the panel 0.125inch so that, effectively, the length of each hole is 0.330 or 0.03 inchless than the length of the gap.

To facilitate threading of the ring through the holes each hole hasflaring ends and a slightly constricted center. It is this slightlyconstricted center which has the diameter of 0.166 inch, this beingsufficiently larger than the cross-sectional diameter of the ring toprovide an easy sliding fit of the ring through any one of the holes.

Assuming that to start the solving of the puzzle the ring is threadedthrough the starting hole 48 and the second hole 52, the puzzle iscorrectly solved as follows. The ring is turned in its own plane (whichis defined by the starting hole 48 and the second hole 52) and which isroughly perpendicular to the plane of the panel 42, any noticeabledeviation from perpendicularity being prevented by the inability of thering to appreciably cock in the holes 48, 52. The turning is continueduntil the gap-defining ends of the mutiliated ring lie on opposite sidesof the panel and clear of opposite ends of the starting hole 48. At thistime, therefore, the ring is only threaded through the second hole 52.Now the ring is swung in (about) the second hole 52. The swinging takesplace about an axis tangential to the portion of the ring in the secondhole and perpendicular to the plane of the panel 42. The swinging iscontinued until the ends of the gap lie on opposite sides of (inregistry with) the third hole 54. Now the ring again is turned in itsown plane until one end of the gap and subsequently more of the ringenters the third hole 54, and this process is continued until the gap inthe ring is clear of opposite ends of the second hole 52, whereupon thering is swung about the third hole 54 until the ends of the gap lie onopposite sides of (in registry with) the fourth hole 56. This process iscontinued until the ring reaches the finish hole 50.

Things will progress rather smoothly as long as the solver of the puzzleremembers the position of the preceding hole which the ring had justleft. This sounds simple in the telling, but is difficult in the actualsolving of the puzzle. Unless the solver of the puzzle rigorouslyconcentrates on which holes the ring has last left he will almostcertainly, somewhere in the solving of the puzzle, insert an end of thegap back into a hole which he had previously left and then start toretrace the steps he had previously taken.

it will be observed that the holes from the start to the finish do notprogress along a simple straight or curved line, but rather zigzag andcross over one another, i.e., the lines between the holes, so that isvery easy for a player to lose his sense of direction unless he has agood power of recall as to the spatial location of the holes throughwhich the ring has already been threaded. The probability is strong thatthe proper progression will be reversed at least several times duringthe solving of the puzzle.

Another series of holes 115, 116, 118, 120, 122, 124, 126 and 128 leadsin a simple straight path from the finish hole 50 back to the startinghole 48 so that once the puzzle has been successfully solved it israther easy to step the ring back to the starting point by threadingthrough a linearly arranged path of holes.

It is desired to keep the ring trapped in the panel and this may besimply done by providing a border flange 130, the height of whichperpendicular to the plane of the panel exceeds the length of the gap.The same trapping effect can be secured by locating all the holesfurther away from the border than the diameter of the ring. This latterarrangement only appears at the top and right-hand sides of the panel42.

The ring should be made of a material which cannot be noticeablydeformed except deliberately, for example, steel, and may be plated,e.g., with nickel or chrome, to enhance its appearance, protect it fromdeterioration and lower its surface coefficient of friction so it canslide easily through the holes. The ring should be a perfect circleexcept for the gap, i.e. it should be of constant radius with respect toits center so that it can be easily rotated through any pair of holes inthe true path without binding. The ring also preferably is of uniformcircular crosssection so that it will neither rattle nor bind in theholes.

It is also within the scope of the invention to provide false trails,i.e., false paths, which can divert the concentration and attention ofthe solver of the puzzle. The false trails are such that they cannot bedetected upon inspection because of the great number of like holespresent and the random arrangement of the holes in the true path. Thefalse trails either can be dead-end trails or closed-path trails, thefirst terminating in a hole which is not spaced from any other hole bythe aforesaid fixed length, so that the ring cannot be threaded anyfurther. The second, i.e., the closed-path type of false trail, willreturn the ring threaded along the same back to a hole on the true path.In other words, it provides an alternate segment for the true path, thereason for its use being that when the solver of the puzzle returns tothe main path he is not certain in which direction to thread the ringand, indeed, is not even aware of the fact that he has been divertedfrom the true path so that he is just as likely to progress along thetrue path in the wrong direction as in the right direction. Indeed, thesolver of the puzzle may continue around the closed false path a fewtimes before he is even aware he is doing this, and by this time willbecome confused.

The point of return of the closed false path to the true path may beeither at the same hole as the hole which started the false closed pathor at an earlier or later hole in the true path.

In FIG. 1 two dead-end false paths and one closed false path have beenillustrated. One dead-end false path is comprised by the holes 84, 86.The other dead-end false path is comprised by the holes 96', 98'. Theclosed false path includes the holes 92' and 94'. The complete falsepath also includes holes 90 and 92 in the true path.

In one form of the invention the puzzle includes no number ordirectional lines or arrows on the front face of the panel 42 toindicate the true path for the solver to follow when threading the ringthrough successive holes because this would destroy the problempresented by the puzzle. However, in the preferred form of the inventionthe reverse side (the back side) of the panel 42 is provided with somesort of suitable indiciato denote the true path. This back side is theside shown in FIG. and the indicia 132 therein indicated (they may beimprinted or raised) are in the form of the series of numbers 1-32, allnumbers included (not excluding odd numbers). The start and finish ofthe puzzle proper are indicated by the words Start and Finish on thefront of the panel. Also, the return holes 115, 116, 118, 120, 122, 124,126, and 128 are not numbered on the reverse side of the panel. However,the indication of the direction in which the ring should beprogressively threaded through the return holes is indicated by symbols134, to wit, arrows, imprinted or indicated by raised ribs on the backsurface of the puzzle.

It will be apparent to anyone skilled in the puzzle field that theparticular arrangement of the holes in the true path from start tofinish as well as the number of holes from start to finish is a matterof choice and can be varied from puzzle to puzzle. The same is true ofthe presence or absence and the number of false paths of the dead-endand closed-path types.

It thus. will be seen that there is provided a puzzle which achieves thevarious objects of the invention' and which is well adapted to meet theconditions of practical use.

As various possible embodiments might be made of the above invention,and as various changes might be made in the embodiment above set forth,it is to be understood that all matter herein described or shown in theaccompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in alimiting sense.

Having thus described the invention there is claimed as new and desiredto be secured by Letters Patent:

1. A puzzle comprising a panel having several like holes therein, one ofsaid holes being a starting hole and another of said holes being afinish hole, the holes between the staring hole and the finish holebeing arranged in a predetermined pattern to define a true path fromsaid starting hole to said finish hole, additional holes providing areturn path from the finish hole to the starting hole, furtheradditional holes defining at least one false path leading from the truepath, and still further additional holes defining at least one falsepath leading from the return path; at least one surface of the panelbearing no indicia indicating the succession of holes in the true pathand said surface having a design printed thereon, the area defined bysaid design embracing the holes in the true path from the starting holeto the finish hole but excluding the holes in the return path from thefinish hole to the starting hole; and a circular ring having a gaptherein, the ungapped portion of said ring extending over a predominantportion of the full 360 circumference of the ring, the length of saidgap being in excess of the individual lengths of the holes whereby withthe ring starting in the position in which it is threaded through thestarting hole and the first next succeeding hole in the true path tosolve the puzzle the ring is turned in its own plane until the ends ofthe gap are above and below the opposite ends of the starting hole andthe ring is then turned about an axis perpendicular to the plane of thepanel to position the ends of the gap above and below the nextsucceeding hole after which the ring is threaded into the nextsucceeding hole and such sequence of steps is continued until the tingreaches the finish hole.

2. A puzzle comprising a panel having several like holes therein, one ofsaid holes being a starting hole and another of said holes being afinish hole, the holes between the starting hole and finish hole beingarranged in a predetermined pattern to define a true path from saidstarting hole to said finish hole, said path thereby constituting holesin a predetermined sequence, every adjacent pair of holes in suchsequence having a constant center-to-center spacing and additional holesdefining at least one false path leading from i the true path; and acircular ring having a gap therein,

the ungapped portion of said ring extending over a predominant portionof the full 360 circumference of the ring, the length of said gaps beingin excess of the individual lengths of the holes; each end of said holesdefined by collars on opposite surfaces of the panel in registry withthe hole in the panel, the collars and panel defining a passageway, thewalls of said passageway having a two-way taper substantially conformingwith the curvature of the ring; whereby with the ring starting in theposition in which it is threaded through the starting hole and the firstnext succeeding hole in the true path to solve the puzzle the ring isturned in its own plane until the ends of the gap are above and belowthe opposite ends of the starting hole and the ring is then turned aboutan axis perpendicular to the plane of the panel to position the ends ofthe gap above and below the next succeeding hole after which the ring isthreaded into the next succeeding hole and such sequence of steps iscontinued until the ring reaches the finish hole.

3. A puzzle comprising a panel having several like holes therein, one ofsaid holes being a starting hole and another of said holes being afinish hole, the holes between the starting hole and finish hole beingarranged in a predetermined pattern to define a true path from saidstarting hole to said finish hole, said path thereby constituting holesin a predetermined sequence, every adjacent pair of holes in suchsequence having a constant center-to-center spacing and additional holesdefining at least one false path leading from the true path; one face ofsaid panel bearing no indicia to indicate the succession of holes in thetrue path from the starting hole to the finish hole and the other faceof the panel bearing indicia indicating the correct succession of holesfrom the starting hole to the finish hole, said non-indicia bearingsurface having imprinted thereon a design embracing in areal extent thegroup of holes in the true path; and a circular ring having a gaptherein, the ungapped portion of said ring extending over a predominantportion of the full 360 circumference of the ring, the length of saidgaps being in excess of the individual lengths of the holes; wherebywith the ring starting in the position in which it is threaded throughthe starting hole and the first next succeeding hole in the true path tosolve the puzzle the ring is turned in its own plane until the ends ofthe gap are above and below the opposite ends of the starting hole andthe ring is then turned about an axis perpendicular to the plane of thepanel to position the ends of the gap above and below the nextsucceeding hole after which the ring is threaded into the nextsucceeding hole and reaches the finish hole.

1. A puzzle comprising a panel having several like holes therein, one ofsaid holes being a starting hole and another of said holes being afinish hole, the holes between the staring hole and the finish holebeing arranged in a predetermined pattern to define a true path fromsaid starting hole to said finish hole, additional holes providing areturn path from the finish hole to the starting hole, furtheradditional holes defining at least one false path leading from the truepath, and still further additional holes defining at least one falsepath leading from the return path; at least one surface of the panelbearing no indicia indicating the succession of holes in the true pathand said surface hAving a design printed thereon, the area defined bysaid design embracing the holes in the true path from the starting holeto the finish hole but excluding the holes in the return path from thefinish hole to the starting hole; and a circular ring having a gaptherein, the ungapped portion of said ring extending over a predominantportion of the full 360* circumference of the ring, the length of saidgap being in excess of the individual lengths of the holes whereby withthe ring starting in the position in which it is threaded through thestarting hole and the first next succeeding hole in the true path tosolve the puzzle the ring is turned in its own plane until the ends ofthe gap are above and below the opposite ends of the starting hole andthe ring is then turned about an axis perpendicular to the plane of thepanel to position the ends of the gap above and below the nextsucceeding hole after which the ring is threaded into the nextsucceeding hole and such sequence of steps is continued until the ringreaches the finish hole.
 2. A puzzle comprising a panel having severallike holes therein, one of said holes being a starting hole and anotherof said holes being a finish hole, the holes between the starting holeand finish hole being arranged in a predetermined pattern to define atrue path from said starting hole to said finish hole, said path therebyconstituting holes in a predetermined sequence, every adjacent pair ofholes in such sequence having a constant center-to-center spacing andadditional holes defining at least one false path leading from the truepath; and a circular ring having a gap therein, the ungapped portion ofsaid ring extending over a predominant portion of the full 360*circumference of the ring, the length of said gaps being in excess ofthe individual lengths of the holes; each end of said holes defined bycollars on opposite surfaces of the panel in registry with the hole inthe panel, the collars and panel defining a passageway, the walls ofsaid passageway having a two-way taper substantially conforming with thecurvature of the ring; whereby with the ring starting in the position inwhich it is threaded through the starting hole and the first nextsucceeding hole in the true path to solve the puzzle the ring is turnedin its own plane until the ends of the gap are above and below theopposite ends of the starting hole and the ring is then turned about anaxis perpendicular to the plane of the panel to position the ends of thegap above and below the next succeeding hole after which the ring isthreaded into the next succeeding hole and such sequence of steps iscontinued until the ring reaches the finish hole.
 3. A puzzle comprisinga panel having several like holes therein, one of said holes being astarting hole and another of said holes being a finish hole, the holesbetween the starting hole and finish hole being arranged in apredetermined pattern to define a true path from said starting hole tosaid finish hole, said path thereby constituting holes in apredetermined sequence, every adjacent pair of holes in such sequencehaving a constant center-to-center spacing and additional holes definingat least one false path leading from the true path; one face of saidpanel bearing no indicia to indicate the succession of holes in the truepath from the starting hole to the finish hole and the other face of thepanel bearing indicia indicating the correct succession of holes fromthe starting hole to the finish hole, said non-indicia bearing surfacehaving imprinted thereon a design embracing in areal extent the group ofholes in the true path; and a circular ring having a gap therein, theungapped portion of said ring extending over a predominant portion ofthe full 360* circumference of the ring, the length of said gaps beingin excess of the individual lengths of the holes; whereby with the ringstarting in the position in which it is threaded through the startinghole and the first next succeedIng hole in the true path to solve thepuzzle the ring is turned in its own plane until the ends of the gap areabove and below the opposite ends of the starting hole and the ring isthen turned about an axis perpendicular to the plane of the panel toposition the ends of the gap above and below the next succeeding holeafter which the ring is threaded into the next succeeding hole and suchsequence of steps is continued until the ring reaches the finish hole.